For example, the government makes a top down decision to heavily invest in cheap or entirely free public transport, invest heavily in cycling infrastructure, ensures urban planning means that (where possible) you’re never more than a short bicycle ride away from a supermarket (so called 5 minute cities), does its best to ensure it’s affordable to live near your work, bans cars from city centres (with obvious exceptions), increases taxation on fuel, and increases taxation on new vehicles.
Perfectly feasible, because it’s been done in plenty of countries and cities. Vastly better for the environment and much more efficient too, because the population isn’t wasting so much time and money driving from point A to B. People are invariably much happier, because they get more exercise, waste less of their lives in traffic, aren’t wasting money on car ownership, and suffer less from the effects of air and noise pollution. Unsurprisingly, once instituted this kind of thing invariably enjoys majority democratic support.
The polar opposite of the US, where the car industry had and still has a disproportionate influence on politics, and very unpopular there in large part because of propaganda, which has given Americans the illusion of choice; they have been invariably been robbed of the choice to live near their work or spend less time in traffic, but instead get to choose which overpriced car they are forced to buy due to corporate influenced government rule.
I’m tired, but you get the idea.
It’s also important to realise, that a lot of these kinds of policies, aren’t actually unpopular when they’re done well. People like walking, cycling, breathing fresh air, loads of trees, nature, etc. It’s a bit of a joke that Americans return home from their holiday in Europe, feeling healthier and having lost weight. Not being stuck in your car all day is good for you.
Largely agree with what you’re saying. I do strongly wish US mass transit didn’t make me feel like I needed a shower the moment I stepped off it (which has been my experience with state run rail systems).
But I’d don’t see the policy changes you lay out as inherently opposed to a liberal state. Yeah, its less capitalist than the current (US) system, but it seems those are talking points and policies often pushed by the American left/Democratic Party (and if I understand correctly that’s typically what’s referred to as the Liberals by communities like this).
But in practice supposedly liberal states’ governments often become captured by corporate interests or the idea that everything has to make a profit, so much so that it’s impossible to make sensible (and once realised popular) decisions on public transport and the like.
Just look at relatively progressive Germany, where the car industry’s influence on governments on both sides of the aisle has hindered investment in public transport and cycle infrastructure.
Or look at a map of UK railways before and after the Beeching cuts. Crucial train lines were destroyed, often those connecting mayor cities, because railway profits were deemed more important than the public good. The remaining lines and infrastructure are to this day overstretched and over capacity, because a government in the 60s believed a little too much in the free market, and this has caused lasting damage to the economy and housing affordability.
There was a lot wrong with the USSR and eastern bloc, and their environmental record was often deplorable, but it’s no coincidence that the one of the things they did often do right is cheap and good public transport.
US mass transit didn’t make me feel like I needed a shower the moment I stepped off it (which has been my experience with state run rail systems).
They’re often dirty, because they’re invariably too beholden to the profit motive, so don’t hire enough cleaners or pay them enough given their crucial role in preventing disease.
Bit of a tangent, but America’s obsession with airconditioning is also a huge problem.
Bed bugs and their eggs die at temperatures higher than 45°C (110F?) and don’t do well at anything other than room temperature. If you don’t have AC on public transport or in your house, bed bugs aren’t nearly as big an issue. Just let it get hot/cold. Or as regular maintenance pop on the heating for a few hours during the hottest day of the year, while you spend the day at the beach.
Another reason why as someone who worked in the industry, I’m opposed to over insulating homes, but that’s another discussion.
For example, the government makes a top down decision to heavily invest in cheap or entirely free public transport, invest heavily in cycling infrastructure, ensures urban planning means that (where possible) you’re never more than a short bicycle ride away from a supermarket (so called 5 minute cities), does its best to ensure it’s affordable to live near your work, bans cars from city centres (with obvious exceptions), increases taxation on fuel, and increases taxation on new vehicles.
Perfectly feasible, because it’s been done in plenty of countries and cities. Vastly better for the environment and much more efficient too, because the population isn’t wasting so much time and money driving from point A to B. People are invariably much happier, because they get more exercise, waste less of their lives in traffic, aren’t wasting money on car ownership, and suffer less from the effects of air and noise pollution. Unsurprisingly, once instituted this kind of thing invariably enjoys majority democratic support.
The polar opposite of the US, where the car industry had and still has a disproportionate influence on politics, and very unpopular there in large part because of propaganda, which has given Americans the illusion of choice; they have been invariably been robbed of the choice to live near their work or spend less time in traffic, but instead get to choose which overpriced car they are forced to buy due to corporate influenced government rule. I’m tired, but you get the idea.
It’s also important to realise, that a lot of these kinds of policies, aren’t actually unpopular when they’re done well. People like walking, cycling, breathing fresh air, loads of trees, nature, etc. It’s a bit of a joke that Americans return home from their holiday in Europe, feeling healthier and having lost weight. Not being stuck in your car all day is good for you.
Largely agree with what you’re saying. I do strongly wish US mass transit didn’t make me feel like I needed a shower the moment I stepped off it (which has been my experience with state run rail systems).
But I’d don’t see the policy changes you lay out as inherently opposed to a liberal state. Yeah, its less capitalist than the current (US) system, but it seems those are talking points and policies often pushed by the American left/Democratic Party (and if I understand correctly that’s typically what’s referred to as the Liberals by communities like this).
Am.i kissing something in that?
In theory they aren’t.
But in practice supposedly liberal states’ governments often become captured by corporate interests or the idea that everything has to make a profit, so much so that it’s impossible to make sensible (and once realised popular) decisions on public transport and the like.
Just look at relatively progressive Germany, where the car industry’s influence on governments on both sides of the aisle has hindered investment in public transport and cycle infrastructure.
Or look at a map of UK railways before and after the Beeching cuts. Crucial train lines were destroyed, often those connecting mayor cities, because railway profits were deemed more important than the public good. The remaining lines and infrastructure are to this day overstretched and over capacity, because a government in the 60s believed a little too much in the free market, and this has caused lasting damage to the economy and housing affordability.
There was a lot wrong with the USSR and eastern bloc, and their environmental record was often deplorable, but it’s no coincidence that the one of the things they did often do right is cheap and good public transport.
They’re often dirty, because they’re invariably too beholden to the profit motive, so don’t hire enough cleaners or pay them enough given their crucial role in preventing disease.
Bit of a tangent, but America’s obsession with airconditioning is also a huge problem.
Bed bugs and their eggs die at temperatures higher than 45°C (110F?) and don’t do well at anything other than room temperature. If you don’t have AC on public transport or in your house, bed bugs aren’t nearly as big an issue. Just let it get hot/cold. Or as regular maintenance pop on the heating for a few hours during the hottest day of the year, while you spend the day at the beach.
Another reason why as someone who worked in the industry, I’m opposed to over insulating homes, but that’s another discussion.